Limousines – 5 Fun Facts

When we see them, we usually think of weddings, proms, and celebreties. But where do limousines come from? What’s the history?

With a little help from our friend Wikipedia, we thought we’d provide some fun facts on these fabulous vehicles.

The first automobile limousine was built in 1902.

As you know, a limousine is a vehicle in which the driver is in a separate compartment from the people being driven. But did you know that “limousine” is a toponym, meaning it’s a word derived from the name of a place, in this case Limousin, a region in France? The compartments of the first automobile limousine physically resembled the hoods the shepherds in Limousin used to wear.

The first stretch limousine had its orgins in the south — in Arkansas, to be exact. It was built in 1928.

These stretch limousines were famous for driving big bands, like Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller, and were often referred to as “big band buses.”

The President of the United States travels in an armored, custom-built limousine known as “The Beast.” Check back next week as we take a detailed look inside this amazing limo!